Document processing devices include printers, copiers, scanners and e-mail gateways. More recently, devices employing two or more of these functions are found in office environments. These devices are referred to as multifunction peripherals (MFPs) or multifunction devices (MFDs). As used herein, MFP means any of the forgoing.
Given the expense in obtaining and maintain MFPs, MFPs are frequently shared by users and monitored by technicians via a data network for example using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). When multiple users send print jobs to a common MFP, the MFP queues the print jobs and prints in the same sequence that the print jobs were received. If an MFP is currently printing a large print job, subsequent print jobs may be queued for substantial periods of time. This can result in users waiting near an MFP for their print job to print, or returning to their office to reschedule the print job at another MFP.